We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Debt on Prepay Meter? Should I be paying this?

Hello, I'm a bit of a noob in this area, so any help would be great.

I've been on prepay meters for a while, Therefore I've always paid for what I've used. But when I top up I get charged for a debt.

I've been in this property for about a year, and made sure to carry my account/name over to this property as soon as I could.

I'm with southern electric. If I run out of gas and have to use the emergency £5, later when I've topped up my card I get charged the emergency gas I've used, and then some more for a debt?

Yesterday I topped up my card £10, and got charged for a debt, this time not having used the emergency.

I'm not sure if this is a standard thing, or if I'm paying for someone else's debt.

Any help would be good, thanks!

Comments

  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Are you got a new key from the supplier when you moved in and you're not using the previous occupiers key?
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • SwanJon
    SwanJon Posts: 2,340 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Do you have a standing charge on your meter?
    If you run out of credit, or choose to use emergency credit then the meter doesn't recover this (in the first case as theirs no money, in the second to make the money last longer).
    However, it does remember how much it missed and recover this when you next top up.
    How much debt is it recovering?

    The other option is that a debt has been programemd onto your meter.
    This will show on screen 27, and screen 25/26 wil show you how much it is taking each week. If this is the case SSE will be able to tell you why it is there.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 5 February 2016 at 1:09PM
    It may be just standing charge debt. We all pay that ( except ebico ) True debt is on screen 27 on the gas and screen S on the electric. If you dont top up regularly the small weekly standing charge of up to £2 will build up
  • (Bit slow on a reply, sorry)

    Ah thanks, that makes sense. I'll keep a note of how much it takes and when.

    Many thanks everyone!
  • Nada666
    Nada666 Posts: 5,004 Forumite
    LukeMo wrote: »
    (Bit slow on a reply, sorry)

    Ah thanks, that makes sense. I'll keep a note of how much it takes and when.

    Many thanks everyone!
    You should also primarily keep a note of just the kWh readings as people (don't) do with a standard meter - over a month or three the single difference between those can be a lot easier to parse and get reassurance from than adding up fivers here and twenty quids there.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.5K Life & Family
  • 259K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.